The spring classics campaign started with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad today. Liv Racing Xstra displayed a good team performance.
The first classic of this season was animated by a group of 6 riders, which took a maximum lead of 4 minutes. In the peloton Liv Racing Xstra was racing well together as a team. With 40 kilometers to go the breakaway was caught. On the Leberg a new group of 4 riders escaped, behind them the first chase group got smaller and smaller. Sabrina Stultiens, Valerie Demey and Jeanne Korevaar were still there for Liv Racing Xstra at that moment. At The Muur of Geraardsbergen a counter attack of Annemiek van Vleuten caused some damage in the chase group. Eventually Van Vleuten caught the leaders, went on alone with Demi Vollering in the final kilometres of the race and won the race in a sprint with two. Almost half a minute behind them there was a sprint for the third place. In that group Korevaar was the first Liv Racing Xstra rider to cross the finish line in 23rd place.
After the race sports director Wim Stroetinga was satisfied about the team performance. “We did a good race and the riders worked well together. Unfortunately Marta and Jeanne crashed at an important point in the race. We lost Marta there and Jeanne had to spent a lot of energy in the chase back to the first group. Valerie and Sabrina tried something too, but their attempts were caught quickly. Quinty and Amber helped the team a lot today, but they just had to let go on the Muur. In the final we were there with Sabrina, Valerie and Jeanne and tried to reel in the group that battled for the last podium spot. In the sprint Jeanne was just a little too late to come in a good position. We can be satisfied with what we showed today. It gives confidence for the next races.”